


Woman's Wrath/Counting Sheep

by FrozenHearts



Category: Catherine (Video Game), Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Ambiguous/Open Ending, Bakery and Coffee Shop, Canon Compliant, Cheating, Coffee, Coffee Shops, Demons, Drinking, F/M, Gen, Implied Relationships, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Mementos (Persona 5), Mentioned Catherine, Mentioned Katherine McBride, Murder Mystery, Nightmares, References to Depression, Sojiro is not a therapist, Vincent needs help guys
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-07
Updated: 2017-10-07
Packaged: 2019-01-08 21:44:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12262668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrozenHearts/pseuds/FrozenHearts
Summary: Sojiro knew this guy was in deep when he not so discreetly pulled a flask from his jacket pocket and poured a generous amount of the contents into his coffee.





	Woman's Wrath/Counting Sheep

**Author's Note:**

> I just started playing Catherine, and I love it so far- I'm trying to romance Katherine I much prefer her to Catherine

Sojiro Sakura knew this guy was in deep when he not so discreetly pulled a flask from his jacket pocket and generously poured the contents into his cup of coffee. He didn't blame him; the dude was a wreck, black hair large and bushy, pink shirt wrinkled underneath a faded brown jacket. Gray eyes were beady with worry as he tapped away at a flip phone.

A flip phone. Sojiro wanted to laugh- he hadn't seen one of those since he was a teenager. Futaba would comment something rude if she were here, being the tech guru she was, but Sojiro didn't say anything. He was here to serve coffee, not judge his customers.

"Rough day?" Sojiro finally said, frowning as the man stared at the steam rising from the cup. 

"Guess you could say that," he said gruffly, running thin fingers through his hair. The man put the phone down, grabbing the mug before tilting it towards Sojiro, "Thanks. I needed the pick me up."

"Yeah, well, next time don't spike it," Sojiro shook his head, "I don't need to get arrested because you crazy kids can't hide your liquor better."

And then he was laughing. This guy was laughing and Sojiro had half a mind to throw him out. It was loud and obnoxious, petering into a rough chuckle as the guy took a sip.

"Sorry to say this, old man, but I'm thirty-two," he laughed into his drink, "Not that young anymore."

Sojiro rolled his eyes. Semantics, really. Ten year olds looked like twenty year olds and twenty year olds looked like ten year olds nowadays. You were never able to tell with people anymore unless they said it outright and even then they could be lying.

"Sorry. Just nervous about the kids being out by themselves."

The man perked up, rolling his shoulders, "My girlfriend wants kids. How are they?"

Sojiro assumed this girlfriend was the one he was texting. She probably wouldn't be happy to know her man was sitting in a coffee shop and spiking his drink. The counter was rough against his elbows as he leaned on it, putting on what Futaba sometimes called his "Thinking Face of Fury."

"Honestly you get used to them," he said after a minute, "My daughtet is a nervous wreck and my son is a bit of a delinquent, but they're good kids."

Sojiro ignored the fact that he had just called Akira his son. He enjoyed having him around though, and him and his merry band of misfits brought out the best in Futaba. He was glad they weren't around to hear him. 

"Katherine doesn't know if she wants boys or girls or both," the man offered, "It's just a bit much for me to think about right now, though."

Sojiro nodded, "Well if you ever need to think some more, feel free to stop by."

The man nodded, sitting for a few minutes as he chugged the rest of his drink. Sojiro wibced at the circle of condensation left on the wood; water rings were a bitch to clean up if left to dry. 

The man left a five dollar tip under the mug, though, so Sojiro found he didn't mind.

\------

"Have you ever thought about getting married?"

Sojiro raised an eyebrow, pausing in rinsing a cup from a previous customer. Curry wafted through the air and Sojiro knew if he didn't go to the kitchen soon the curry would burn. 

"I've had a few flings, but I'm too old to settle down with anyone," he said, placing the mug in the drying rack under the counter. The man was back, but thankfully he didn't have a flask with him again. 

"A stud like you?" the man joked, "Sure."

"How's, uh, Katherine?" Sojiro asked abruptly and immediately wanted to smack himself. The man froze, mug held to his lips mid-sip. If he was a first timer, Sojiro could almost believe the guy was a cleverly made statue to fool customers. His gray eyes were wide with nerves and shock.

So, not good.

"Katherine, uh... wants to get married," he squeaked.

"Well, congratulations."

A nervous laugh. A shaky hand placing the mug on the counter. Slumped shoulders.

"Listen-"

"I may or may not have cheated on her," the man blurted.

And then the man was slapping another five on the counter before Sojiro could say anything, letting out a garbled "Thanks for the coffee!" and tripping on the stool on his way out. The bell jingled violently above the door as he left. Sojiro looked at the mug.

The man didn't even drink all his coffee, brown liquid still steaming inside white ceramic.

\------

The next time he came in, the man introduced himself as Vincent, and was tapping away on that silly flip phone of his; he just barely made it onto the stool as Sojiro slid a mug across the counter.

"Morning," Sojiro said, leaning on the lip of the bar. 

"Hey, have you been having weird dreams?"

Sojiro snorted, "And good morning to you' would have sufficed. But no- I don't sleep enough to dream."

Vincent laughed, muttering under his breath before adding, "There's this weird dream I keep having. Ever since Katherine mentioned kids and marriage and then I cheated-"

"Which was a dumbass move on your part."

"- I keep seeing sheep and towers and I have to climb or else I'll die."

"So you drank a little too much. Happens sometimes."

Vincent shook his head, running his hands through his hair. Sojiro thought he'd rip it from his scalp with the way he worried the strands, teeth gnashing his lower lip til it might bleed. The coffee was still steaming in the mug.

"Men who cheat have this dream, that's the whole thing," Vincent said, "And they die and if I die then Katherine will know I cheated...."

Sojiro let Vincent ramble- something about a concept called "Woman's Wrath" and puzzles amd some sort of confessional. Sojiro knew he offered to listen to Vincent, but he wasn't a therapist. He wouldn't be able to do much with a coffee machine.

As he went on though, Sojiro thought it sounded very much like the Metaverse. He didn't know much aside from Wakaba's old research and what Akira could explain, but it sounded very similar.

Akira and his Metavaerse crap was going to send him to an early grave, Sojiro knew it.

It didn't really help Vincent's case that he cheated on Katherine with a woman named Catherine, or that both of them have appeared multiple times in this dream.

If it was a dream. But he didn't want Vincent to die. 

"Listen, I know it isn't my place," Sojiro cleared his throat, cutting Vincent off, "but I think you should be honest with Katherine about.... Catherine."

"But what if I die? I need to keep climbing the tower."

"But if you tell Katherine, what if she can help you?" Sojiro suggested. She sounded competent, and if she was with Vincent (who was frankly a mess), then it had to count for something.

"It happens when I sleep," Vincent said, "Katherine can't do anything."

"You should still tell her," Sojiro pointed out, "Honesty is key in any relationship."

Vincent sighed, "Then what about Catherine? She won't take no for an answer."

Sojiro looked around the shop, the tables on the far wall. No one was by the bathrooms and no onr seemed to be walking in. Akira was not upstairs, having gone out with Ann and Ryuji earlier, and Futaba was at some art exhibit with Yusuke.

The place was empty. 

Perfect.

"Alright, I'm about to tell you something very important, but you can't say a word to anyone."

Vincent blinked owlishly, frowning as he managed to stutter, "O-okay?"

"Have you ever heard of the Metaverse?"


End file.
